Shop Local Kentucky closes after car crashes into building

A car crashed into 1155 S. Shelby St. in the early hours of Jan. 1. | Courtesy of Shop Local Kentucky

While the New Year is seen as a fresh start and chance to improve, 2018 began with a crash for a Kentucky retailer and local nonprofit.

In the early hours of Jan. 1, a car ran into 1155 S. Shelby St., damaging a portion of the facade. The first floor was home to retailer Shop Local Kentucky, and the second floor is occupied by the nonprofit Access Ventures, which also owns the building.

The extent and cost of the damage is still being assessed, Bryce Butler, managing partner of Access Ventures, said in an email, adding that the company is operating out of the Eagles Nest at Bowman Field for today at least while awaiting word about whether or not the building is safe to enter.

Meanwhile, Shop Local Kentucky announced via social media that the store is closed indefinitely while it searches for a new location. Since opening in November, the idea was that the store in Shelby Park would be temporary, but depending on sales, Shop Local Kentucky could open a permanent Louisville location.

“We really don’t have a great detail on where we will be. Honestly, we don’t know what the current building’s future is due to the extent of the damage,” he said in an email. “This was to be a short-term lease, but the store did extremely well in Shelby Park and ran on par with our flagship store in Lexington.

“The goal was always to find a permanent location in Louisville, and this is still the plan,” he continued. “We are exploring options in Shelby Park, Frankfort Avenue, Middletown and the Highlands right now, but are open to other areas of town as well. The space and the neighborhood have to jive well with our aesthetic, which is why we loved Shelby Park so dearly!”

The Shelby Park location is the second Shop Local Kentucky store damaged after a car hit the building. This past summer, a car drove into Shop Local Kentucky’s original Lexington store.

The Lexington store has since reopened at the same location at the corner of East Maxwell Street and Woodland Avenue.